Tamaqua finds a way to beat Panther Valley

The best way to describe the Tamaqua-Panther Valley Anthracite Football League game, which was won by the visiting Blue Raiders 32-14 Friday evening in Lansford, the Panthers didn't lose, Tamaqua found a way to win.

There is no Pentagon secret here, for the Raiders made a fine-tuning at half with their offensive line and kicked it into high gear on the legs of Tyler Hope. The senior running back has missed his share of games with an injured back, but seems to be capable for a late season stretch run.

"We're able to get him in space," Sam Bonner Hope's head coach said of the second-half surge that producing four touchdowns. "The difference in the first and second half, we just blocked it better. We made some adjustments and we told the line they'd have to (get) after it better."

That line also had to find a way to block Panther Valley's two outstanding defensive players; Rich Nase and linebacker Mark Williams; especially the latter. Williams kept showing up throughout the first half laying hits on any one with the ball; Hope was tackled and so too was quarterback Nate Edmonds more than once by Williams.

"He's going to play (in college)," said Williams' head coach Lon Hazlet, of his 6-0, 230-pound star. "He's a pretty good football player. He really was all over the field."

Nase isn't bad either, all 6-4, 220 pounds. The two-way senior will get some looks, to be sure for the next level. Former coach Dave "Whitey" Williams now a radio broadcaster at WMGH Tamaqua, calls Nase a load.

"The kids a player, no mistake about that," Williams said as color commentator Friday. "I'm impressed with his size and the way he can run. Panther Valley did a darn good job in that first half with their defense. They didn't miss too many tackles; they made some sticks, believe me."

Williams also pointed out time and again the Tamaqua point of attack running the ball was its downfall. "They had troubles blocking, but the adjustments they made at the half loosened things up a lot for them. They did a real good job of adjusting"

Hope was the beneficiary of that adjustment. After being held to 51 first-half yards, Hope got free and rushed for a game-high 189 yards, though it took 30 carries. After a sterling performance the previous week in which he set a school record rushing for 350 yards in an upset win over Schuylkill Haven (32-14), the same score as Friday's win over Panther Valley, the 5-9, 189-pound tailback was patient to say the least.

"My offensive line came out and did some great things in the second half," Hope said praising the trenchmen. "You can't score without good blocking, they were confused in the first half with the defenses. Our coaches (drew) something's up and made some adjustments and that kind of settled us down."

The win also springs a glimmer of sunshine into the Tamaqua postseason hopes. With two games to play, at Minersville Friday and a huge game looming at home with Marian in Week 10, there is significant rating points with Marian, a team that suddenly has emerged from the ashes, on the line. However the opportunity to defend its AFL title will not come about for Tamaqua. The Blue Raiders have three losses.

"We hopefully can get to the postseason playoffs," Bonner expressed. That will require two wins in the final two weeks of the season, and a whole lot of help from other teams.

AFL uproar

Oh wow, here we go again.

Suddenly the deal is not sealed for Jim Thorpe in the Anthracite Football League. Just about all watchers had anointed the Olympians the 2013 champions after throttling Mahanoy Area two weeks ago, 26-0.

But hold your longjohns and don't pull them up just yet. Jim Thorpe lost for the first time in the AFL 30-12 at home to Schuylkill Haven has now brought some broad smiles to the chasers in the AFL.

Of course, there is no playoff to determine the champion, but there are co-champions which can be had from Schuylkill Haven, North Schuylkill, Marian and Mahanoy Area.

Indeed all of the above are still hanging on to the cliff. The team that needs to spoil it all and create some havoc is in Hometown, Marian has the ace card up its sleeve. Thorpe can trump all, with a win over the Colts Friday evening at Men of Marian Stadium and officially clinch another AFL championship.

Now a second loss by Thorpe and the other teams start jumping with glee. One team will be officially eliminated Friday when Mahanoy Area goes to Schuylkill Haven. If the Golden Bears win, and Jim Thorpe loses, Mahanoy will have a "must win" game at rival Shenandoah Valley in Week 10.

If North Schuylkill wins at home against Panther Valley in its final AFL game of the season, and the Colts win their sixth straight that brings the Spartans into play.

The scenarios are all over the place, but the key is Marian. It must win or it's all over. If it's a two-way tie, the champion will be determined on head-to-head.

To be sure, Yogi Berra loves it; he'd tell you "â¦it ain't over until it's over."

Friday's the night

There are some head bangers on the card this weekend. The biggest spotlight shines in Men of Marian Stadium. ChaChing, ChaChing the cash register is bursting at the seams, it will be a hot ticket to watch the Colts try and win their sixth straight game against Jim Thorpe. It doesn't get better than Friday Night Lights in the AFL.

Pine Grove at Tri-Valley: the visiting Cardinals are undefeated, maybe the biggest surprise of the season, or is it the once-beaten Bulldogs;;; Mahanoy Area at Schuylkill Haven; preseason favorites Hurricanes rollout the green carpet at Rotary Field, speed versus plodders take your pickâ¦ Coughlin at Berwick; King George has the Bulldogs undefeated, Coughlin has one loss... Scranton Prep at Delaware Valley; Undefeated Prep (8-0) moves up one class from 3A to 4A, ripe spot for an upset by the Warriors (4-4)... Whitehall at Easton; two 7-1 teams collide in the Lehigh Valley... Southern Lehigh at Palisades; another dandy in the LV both are 7-1.

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